Explosive.



.UNITED TATE PATEN JAMES F. OBRIEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

EXPLOSIVE.

Be it known that 1, JAMES F. O'BRIEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook, State of,

Specification of Letters Patent.

ltatenteii June it,

Application filed September 20, 1911. Serial No. 650,373.

- antane is that ot impossibility ot ignition l l l 1 Illinois, have invented new and useful lmprovements in l lxplosives, of which the tollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to an explosive having as its general hzisis' the combination of a chlorate of an alkali metal with a carh0- hydrate and a silico ahn'ninous substance; and it relates particularly to the use of a carbohydrate ot' the starch group in such a combination. The advantage of a carb0- hydrate of the starch group in such a combination, as over other carl'io-hydrates and especially as over sugar, is this that the starch combination cannot be ignited while the starch is moist (as in its colloidal state in combination with water); and, during the process of manufacture, the starch is kept moist until the last and final operation of drying, thus completely obviating all liability of explosion. The starch carbohydrates also have the greater advantage of being cheaper and more readily obtainable than sugar or similar carbo-hydrates. tarch may he made in conjunction with the making ot' the explosive and within a pow der plant: while the making of sugar requires an xtensive plant, practically prohibiting the manufacture of powder and sugar together.- Basically, my new explosive consists in a combination of a chlorate of an alkali metal, pre'ierably potassiun'i chlorate, with a carho-hydrate ot' the starch group, and with a silico-aluminous substance. This last named substance may be largely inert, being practically supplied as brick dust or other calcined clay. A. small amountof cyanid compound, such as terrocyanid of potassilun may be added.

The Carlie-hydrate used in the explosive may be any of those compounds having' the empirical formula C,,l[,,,(l 'lhe torm known as dextrin is more easily handled as itis readily soluble in water and is, in this state, in condition to be combined with the chlorate to form the explosive. Made into the explosive it has a slightly greater cxplosive effect and energy than ordinary starch, although the difference is comparatively very slight.

As before noted, the s arch has several advantages over the other carbohydrates,

while in the pro ess of manufa ture. my preterrcd process ol manut'zu-ture the arbo-lrvdrate lirst dissolved in water (which may be heated) and then mixed with the other ingredients ol' the explo ive; the whole mixture being subsetpicntlv dried and suit-alfly divided betore hcing rcady for shipment. The starch not only has the advantage of being non-inflammable while moist. but it has the advantage oi not attracting moisture when the powder is dried and ready for shipment. Other carbo-hw drates, notably sugar, will attract moisture and thereby deteriorate the explosive to some extent. i

The comparatively inert finely divided n'iaterial (silico alumiuous substance) which I prefer to use in my expl sive is finely powdered brick dust orbaked clay of that general character. The starch or similar compound and the chlorate are kept in the approximate proportions one to three, regardless ot' the amount ot inert material added to the powder. A typical cmuposition would be thisz-tl'irce parts of potassium chlorate, one part of starch, one part of linely powdered brick dust, and, it desired, a small amount. say one or two per cent. of the total o'l 't'erro-cyanid oi potassium. In this combination. regardless of the presence or absence ol the cyanid com-.-

pound. the silicoaluminous substance cnters materially into the explosive re-action; and to sullicicut extent to materially increase the encrgyol' the total mass, so that, measured in terms ol cost of manufacture. the explosive with the clay substance is possessed of greater energy than the explo sive' lacking the same. The aluminium silicates carried by the clay react with chiorin and potassium (which otherwise left as a residue of potassium chlorid), and this reaction aucments the explosive energy.

Having described my invention, 1 claim:

1. An explosive, consisting of a chlorate of an alkali metal, a carbohydrate of the group C l-h t); and a silico-ahuninous substance.

2. An explosive, consisting of a chlorate of an alkali metal-and a carbo-hydrate of the group 0 11, 0, in the approximate proportions three to one, and a silico-aluminous substance.

An explosive, consisting of a ch orate notably over sugar, and its most notable of an alkali metal and a carbo-hydrate of the group C l-I 0 in the approximate proportions three to one, and a substance containing a. silico-alurninous compound.

t. An explosive, consistin 'of K010 a member of the group C H and a silicoahuninous substance.

- 5. An explosive, consisting of KClO and :1 member of the group(1 1 1 50 in the approximate proportions three to one, and :1 silico-aluminous material.

6. An explosive, consisting of KCIO a member of the group (3 1L 0 in the approximate proportions three to one, and a substance containing a silico-aluminous com pound.

7. An explosive, consisting of K010 a member of the group C H O in the approximate proportions three to .one, and burned cla 8. An explosive, consisting of KGlO a 2 member of the group H O-,, and burned clay in the approximate proportions three to one to one.

In Witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 11th 25 day of September 1911.

JAMES F. OBRIEN. Witnesses JAs H. BALLAGH,

JAMES T. BARKELEW. 

